1. Field of the Invention.
The present invention generally relates to a vehicular bed assembly and to a method for securing a vehicular bed assembly onto a vehicular frame and more particularly, to a relatively strong vehicular bed assembly having a side mount assembly which allows the vehicular bed assembly to be easily and selectively installed onto a vehicular frame without the use of an assembly pit.
2. Background of the Invention.
A vehicular bed assembly typically includes a floor pan, a pair of sidewalls which respectively and typically include wheelwell housings, a front panel or wall and a rearwall or panel which is typically formed upon a selectively movable tailgate. Particularly, these members, when operatively and selectively placed upon a vehicle, such as a truck, cooperatively define and provide a storage environment or xe2x80x9cspacexe2x80x9d within which various items may be securely placed.
While the foregoing assembly does provide such a desired storage space, it does have some disadvantages. By way of example and without limitation, the sidewalls, the backwall, and the front panel or frontwall tend to deform as they are respectively contacted by the items contained within the defined storage space as the vehicle is being driven, thereby creating an unaesthetically pleasing overall appearance and oftentimes causing structural damage to the vehicle. One approach to overcoming this drawback includes the use of relatively thick material to form the sidewalls, the backwall and the front panel. While this approach does reduce the likelihood of structural damage (i.e., the thick material is relatively strong), such material is relatively expensive, thereby increasing the overall cost of producing the vehicle. Moreover, such material is relatively heavy, thereby undesirably increasing the amount of fuel required to operate the vehicle and requiring much effort and strength to open and close the tailgate.
Further, an xe2x80x9cassembly pitxe2x80x9d is typically required to attach the floor pan (or the pre-assembled vehicle bed) to the vehicular frame during vehicular assembly. Particularly, assemblers are placed within a hole or depressed area, the vehicular frame (or the pre-assembled bed) is transported over the pit or hole, the floor pan (or the pre-assembled bed) is then operatively placed on top of the properly positioned frame, and the assemblers then place securing members or assemblies over their heads and through the frame and the previously and operatively positioned floor pan. While this arrangement does allow a floor pan (or the pre-assembled bed) to be selectively secured to the vehicular frame, the required assembly operation is physically uncomfortable and tiring to the assemblers, requires an interruption of the overall assembly process when the assemblers leave the xe2x80x9cpitxe2x80x9d, and is relatively time consuming, especially as the assemblers become fatigued or tired.
There is therefore a need for a new and improved vehicle bed assembly and a method for selectively securing a bed assembly onto a vehicular frame in a manner which overcomes at least some of the previously delineated drawbacks of prior techniques and strategies. The present invention overcomes these drawbacks in a new and novel fashion.
It is a first non-limiting advantage of the present invention to provide a vehicle bed assembly which overcomes some or all of the previously delineated drawbacks of prior vehicular bed assemblies.
It is a second non-limiting advantage of the present invention to provide a method for securing a vehicle bed assembly onto a vehicular frame in a manner which overcomes some or all of the previously delineated disadvantages of prior methods of assembling or selectively securing a vehicular bed assembly onto a vehicular frame.
According to a third non-limiting advantage of the present invention, a vehicle bed assembly is provided. Particularly, the vehicle bed assembly includes a floor pan; and a side mount assembly which is coupled to the floor pan and which allows the floor pan to be selectively coupled to a frame of a vehicle.
According to a fourth non-limiting advantage of the present invention, a vehicle floor bed assembly for use in combination with a vehicle having a frame is provided. Particularly, the vehicle floor bed assembly includes a floor pan having longitudinally extending raised stiffening ribs which cooperatively form at least one first channel; a frontwall which is coupled to the floor pan and which has raised stiffening ribs which extend above and below the floor pan, the raised stiffening ribs cooperatively forming at least one second channel which is communicatively aligned with the at least one first channel; a pair of sidewalls which are coupled to the floorpan; and a backwall which is coupled to the floorpan.
According to a fifth non-limiting advantage of the present invention, a method for securing a bed onto a vehicular frame is provided. Particularly, the method includes the steps of placing the bed onto the frame; providing a fastener assembly; and coupling the fastener assembly to the bed as the fastener assembly is moved parallel to the bed and the frame.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention and by reference to the following drawings.